The New Guy

"Welcome back Mr. Grimes." I smiled lightly at the security by the door while I swiped my I.D through the machine. Exhaustion was overriding my body but I wasn't going to let that show.

"Welcome back Mr. Grimes!" A group of people chanted when I walked past them. I've had everyone greeting me since I parked in the lot. I would've felt important if it hadn't been the fifteenth time someone said it. It was bewildering since I've been in the building a hand full of times. Needless to say, it wasn't enough time for people to know my name.

After leaving my previous job it was instructed that I started here immediately. I didn't even make the office they gave me feel like mine. The minute I stepped through those doors they sent me right back out. With a plane tick to China and a briefing on the problem, I was gone for a little over a month. I had to clean up the company's shit. When I got there it was way bigger than I expected it to be.

Working for corporate had its perks. Your own office, a selection of luxury cars, and a six-figure paycheck. I loved my job, I wouldn't choose any other career if I was given the opportunity. But the cases you take on, the clients I would have to represent knowing their guilty just turned my gut inside out.

Picking up my pace I walked through the chorus of greetings to a small kitchen merely feet away from my new office. It was empty and I couldn't be any more grateful for that. They didn't give me time to breathe in my old office before I got a promotion. It wasn't an exaggeration when I said the mess they left in China was immense.

The coffee machine looked complicated, so many unnecessary buttons I had to Google. I just wanted a hot brew of Joe to get through the day. It took a skimming over a few YouTube videos before I was able to get the steaming mug in my hand.

"Welcome back Mr. Grimes." The voice startled me. My hand made an involuntary jolt and I nearly lost my coffee. It was a close call. I looked at the drop of dark liquid on the brown wood. There was an Asian guy staring at me with a thin-lipped smile. He had a few papers in one of his hands and an iPad in the other.

"You are?" I asked. The steam from the mug made me feel better when I held it closer to my lips.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Grimes. I'm Glenn Rhee. I was assigned to you by Mr. Walsh." I frowned at the man before me. He couldn't be older than 30. I wasn't sure what he meant by assigned; I guess I'd just have to ask Shane about this.

I walked around him and headed to my office. It wasn't far, it only took a few steps but Mr. Rhee followed my every stride. "Okay, Glenn right?" I placed my briefcase on the chair next to the door. Shrugging out of my jacket I turned back to him. "What exactly did he say you're supposed to do?" I couldn't remember someone saying that I'd be given an assistant.

"Um, I was just told to do as you ask." I threw my coat over the rack and rounded my desk, coffee still held tightly in my hand.

Sliding down in my chair I took the first sip of my coffee. It was absolutely terrible. I coughed downed the bitter liquid. "Well, Glenn until I get briefed by Mr. Walsh, you're free to do whatever you want." A look of hesitance flashes over Glenn's face before ultimately heading back out the door.

The room was encased in silence beside the air flowing through the vents in the room. I was subjected to shouting and desperate pleas for the past three months and I deserved some peace. I took another sip of my coffee and forced myself to swallow the bitter liquid. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the headlines in Chinese news.

"百萬富翁（52），清除了三項性侵犯罪名。"

"Millionaire Man (52), Cleared 3 counts of Sexual Assault charges."

In actuality, it was one of our very own partners caught in a scandal. Gregory. It made me nauseous, sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Yet I defended him. Gregory was a good liar, it's why this company made him a partner. He was a good liar but I was better at detecting bullshit. I could smell the guilt rolling off him in spades every time those women cried recalling disturbing events. One could argue that we were in the same boat. I stood in court and tore those girls down one by one knowing they were telling the truth.

That was why I stopped being in court for a long time. I did something that still involved law. I became a professor. However, since Lori decided she'd leave me for broke, I didn't have a choice but to take this job on. With Lori, everything was a fight. Every day of the year I did something that just seemed to bring out the worst in her. She'd be on me about putting my feet up on the couch, drinking beer, watching the TV at night. Absolutely nothing could please her. For a while, I thought it was because of our losses. That this was her way of coping because she couldn't conceive. I accepted that we couldn't have kids. I knew it would be a lot harder for her to manage but after ten years I soon realized that wasn't the only problem. She was miserable and she wanted out. Those were her exact words when she gave me those papers. I didn't fight her on it; I didn't fight her on anything. Not when she took most of my earnings, not when she took our house, I could've left her with nothing, I was a lawyer after all but there was no point to that. At least, this way I was finally able to give her something she wanted.

The aftertaste of coffee felt foul in my mouth. But I kept sipping it.

"Welcome back, Mr. Rick Grimes." A familiar voice boomed throughout the room. Startled, I accidentally spilled steaming coffee on the crotch of my pants. I grimaced at the unforgiving heat as it seeped through the material of my slacks. "Fuck!" I hissed.

"Oh, shit Rick, I didn't mean to startle you." Grabbing some napkins from my desk I waved him off. Hopefully, I could get some of the coffee smell out.

Shane loosed the button of his suit coat before sitting in the chair before me. "Had fun in China?" He asked, a wide smirk playing on his lips.

"Did you know about that case?" I asked throwing the coffee stained napkins in the bin beside my desk.

"The details were blurry, but I understand it had something to do with Gregory?" I nodded. "This isn't the first time that ass hat has gotten into trouble overseas."

"Then why is he still here? You are a partner too; you can get him fired if this is a common occurrence." Shane shook his head.

Shane Walsh. I've known the man since Junior High. We went to high school together, dated together, and went to the same college. Christ, he was the one that introduced Lori and I. We haven't spoken for a while but that never changed our friendship. He knew I had a life and he had one of his own.

"Rick this is business, you're not forgetting how ruthless other lawyers can be don't you? Gregory is ruthless and that's why he still has a job here."

"This is exactly why I won't be partnered with this company. Everything isn't always about 'money' Shane."

"But you accepted this job for 'money' Rick." He pointed out and I couldn't argue with that.

"I don't want the man near me. That's the last time you send me overseas to save someone's ass. This companies ass."

"Well regardless, it's good to have you back, Rick."

"I wasn't here long to enough render the little 'welcome back' chants I was getting from everyone. I'm still the new guy here remember?"

Shane laughed, "I sent a memo out to everyone with a picture of your face in case they didn't know who you were. When they pass you they were told to say 'welcome back, Mr. Grimes'." He chuckled to himself.

I shook my head, "Now, why do I have a man named Glenn Rhee on my heels?"

"Did you forget already? I mean even if you forgot the company sent emails out. And since you got promoted, they assigned an intern to cater to your every beck and whim. But of course, you have to actually let them in on some of your cases."

Ah, the internship program. I could recall it because the first thing that came to my mind was Michonne Johnson. Jesus, Michonne, Michonne. I could never forget what happened between us. Just the thought of her name sent fire through my veins. So many times I tried to pick up the phone, maybe call her and see how she's doing. But my mind was clouded with self-doubt. Maybe what happened in that office was a onetime thing? I didn't want to come off has obsessed after getting a taste of her. She was here. Just the thought of her being in the same building heightened my senses. Suddenly I didn't feel so exhausted anymore.

"Earth to Rick." Shane snapped his fingers in front of my face. "You zoned out for a second there man."

"Lost in my thoughts I guess." I cleared my throat. "So you have a list of the interns? I made a recommendation for one of my former students."

Shane looked thoughtful. "I know who you're talking about, long hair, dark skin with a lovely figure." I really didn't like the way his tone deepened or the look in his eye. "Michonne Johnson. Very intelligent. Beauty and brains don't come in pairs often Rick. I'm just grateful she was assigned to me. Maybe I can teach her a thing or two." My teeth started to grind together. Fuck no, I couldn't this shit happen.

"She's off-limits to you Shane." I gritted out. I didn't know what came over me. Christ, I haven't spoken to her since the day we shared. I had no right, but I couldn't help myself.

His eyes got wide and he held his hands up, "I wasn't aware that you were her boyfriend Rick. I mean, she told me she had one when I started flirting with her. I just assumed it was the big guy that dropped her here." He was toying with me, wasn't he?

"She has a boyfriend?"

"Apparently, and he looks like a line-backer, man. He dropped her every day since she got here." I was right not to contact her. It was a onetime thing. I ran a hand over my face. I felt robbed. It wasn't a good feeling at all. "I'm guessing she's off-limits to you too." He teased.

"Look, the second they stop dating I'm not telling you. A lot can happen in the space of a year and I'm thinking I want her to myself." Shane mused. I kept my mouth glued shut.

"You know where the door is, Shane."

When Shane left I took a deep breath. I had to give him credit; he always knew how to poke my buttons. I needed to let go. She had a boyfriend now. Were they together when we happened? The thought never occurred to me. Michonne didn't seem like the type of woman. She also didn't strike me as the type of woman to write dirty letters. I guess I didn't really know her well enough. She always sat in the fourth row in class, never one to talk but always interjected when she had an argument about the lesson. Other than that I knew nothing about her. That was something that needed to change.

I took another gulp of the coffee. Shane's office wasn't far from mines. It's going to be a struggle every day, having to look at her, talk to her knowing she's taken. I wasn't so sure I should let that stop me.